Rail lubricating device



Aug. 29, 1939. c. STERN RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed July 11, 1935 :aS/42V CHAR/.5S STE/PN 1 43 BY l Patented Aug. 29, 1939 2,170,917

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Charles Stern, Jersey City, N. J., assigner to Ardco Manufacturing Co., Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application July 11, 1935, Serial No. 30,793

3 Claims. (Cl. 184-3) This invention relates to rail lubricating deat one end Ia to the rail, and connected thereto, vices. It is directed to a device for lubricating at the other end, through shackle |819. The midthe head of the rail and flanges of the wheels dle of the treadle is connected through link I8c passing over the rail. to the roller clutch I9. As a train passes over An object of this invention is to provide a the track, the treads of the wheels depress the .5 rugged and compact device of the character treadle for rotating the shaft 2, through clutch described which shall be relatively inexpensive I9, in one direction.

to manufacture, easy to install, smooth and pos- The tank I5 may be of any suitable constructive in operation, and yet practical and ecient tion, for example, substantially as shown in my 10 to a high degree in use. Patent No. 1,918,145 issued July 11, 1933. In .l0

Other objects of this invention will in part be accordance with the present invention however, obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. the tank comprises a seamless cylinder 23 at- 'Ihe invention accordingly consists in the featached to the bottom and top ends of the cyltures of construction, combinations of elements, inder by bottom plate 24 and cylinder head 25 and arrangement of parts which will be exemrespectively. Said plate and head may be at- 15 plified in the construction hereinafter described, tached to said cylinder by the connecting rods and of which the scope of application will be or bolts 25 passing through aligned openings in indicated in the following claims. flanges on said plate and head. The piston In the accompanying drawing, in which is within the tank, receiving an axial screw 3I, is

20 shown one of the various possible illustrative caused to move upwardly when said screw is 20 embodiments of this invention. rotated by the mechanism 2|, for forcing the Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a grease into the conduit I6. rail provided with a lubricating device embody- The distributor I1 comprises a member 33 ing the invention; preferably made as a single casting, and having Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line a vertical wall 34 parallel to web I3 of the rail. 25 2-2 of Fig. 1; Extending from wall 34, adjacent the bottom Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of my imedge thereof, toward said web, is a longitudinal proved distributor, with parts broken away to or horizontal rib 35. Extending from wall 34,

show the interior construction; somewhat below the upper end thereof, is a rib 3o Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 36 parallel to rib 35. Said ribs 35 and 36 are 30 4 4 of Fig 3; interconnected by a central vertical rib 31 and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the distributor; vertical side ribs 38. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line At the ends thereof, said member 33 has por- 6--6 of Fig. 3; and tions 39 extending beyond ribs 38 and being re- Fig. 7 is a rear elevational View of the distrib- Cessed on the outer surfaces thereof as at 40 35 utor, illustrating a modied construction thereof. forming ledges 4I at the bottom, for the purpose Referring now in detail to the drawing, I 0 hereinafter appearing. Each of said portions 39 designates a section of a rail, having a base or has a Vertical S1011 42. and a Screw threaded flange I I, head I2 and interconnecting web I3. Opening 43 at 011 Side of Said slot.

The lubricating device embodying the invention, When the member 33 is attached to the rail, 40 for lubricating the inner surface I3a of the in the manner hereinafter described, the ribs rail head, and the inner surfaces of the flanges 35, 36, 31 and 38 and the portions 39, fit beof the wheels passing over said rail, comprises tween the base II and head I2 of the rail, said generally a grease or lubricant tank I5 connected ribs contacting the web I3. The upper surface by conduit I 5 to a distributor I'I attached to the of the rib 35 is preferably shaped to substan- 45 rail, and a spring treadle I8 connected through tially conform to the undersurface of the head a clutch device I9 and shaft 2U to mechanism I2 of the rail.

2| for moving a piston within the tank for forc- The portion 44 of wall 34 extending above rib ing the lubricant from the tank through said 36 is preferably somewhat thinned, as shown in conduit to the distributor. lthe drawing. Said portion is disposed alongside 5o The treadle I8 and clutch I9 may be of any the lower part of head |2 of the rail, and the suitable construction, for example, as shown in inner surface 44a thereof is preferably some- Patent No. 1,918,144 issued July 11, 1933, to what spaced from the adjacent surface I3a, of Charles Stern, et al. As disclosed in said patent, said head.

the treadle I8 comprises a leaf spring pivoted On the front or outer side thereof, member 33 55 has an elongated horizontal chamber portion 41 comprising top and bottom parallel walls 48 interconnected by a vertical wall 49 parallel to Wall 34. The chamber is closed by end walls 50 aligned substantially with ribs 33. Extending from the front wall 49 is a central downwardly curved inlet pipe or neck portion 5l having a screw threaded opening 52 at the end thereof, for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The wall 34 has a longitudinal vertical thin slot 55 extending through the portion 44, and open at the top, said slot being parallel to and substantially coextensive with said chamber 41. The slot 55 may be formed by milling or sawing the casting 33 with rotary cutters or saws from the top, or in any other suitable manner. Said slot 55 preferably terminates short of the ends of wall portion 44 and extends downwardly through wall 34 below the top of chamber 41. Wall 34 forms one side of chamber 41 and the inner surface thereof is formed with a plurality of spaced, horizontally aligned openings 53 communicating with slot 55. Said openings 55 may be drilled in wall 34; and for this purpose wall 49 of chamber 41 may be first formed with a plurality of screw threaded open ings 58 aligned with openings 55 and of somewhat larger diameter than said openings, to admit drills for the drilling operation. The openings 58 may be closed by screw threaded plugs 59. By removing the plugs furthermore, the inside of chamber 41 may be cleaned.

Member 33 is further formed with bosses 6 inclined downwardly and inwardly from the ends of lower wall 43 of chamber 41. Said bosses have inclined screw threaded openings 6I receiving screws 32, the heads whereof contact the inclined upper surface of the base or flange Il of the rail, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

Received within the recesses 4) of the portions 39 of said member 33 are fiat, substantially square plates resting on shoulders or ledges 4I and contacting the ends of wall 34. Said plates 65 have vertical slots 63 registering with slots 42 of portions 39. Said plates 55 also have, through openings 61 registering with screw threaded openings 43 in said portions. Bolts 19 extending through the registering slots 42, 56 and through openings in the web 'i3 of the rail serve to x member 33 to the rail. Stud screws 'H passing through openings 5l in plates 35 are screwed into threaded openings 43 to nx said plates to said member 33. Member 33 may be adjusted in height by manipulating screws 62, such adjustment being permitted by vertical slots 42, 39 through which pass bolts 19.

Screwed to the threaded end 52 of pipe 5i is a nipple 14 attached to the conduit l5 passing under the rail. For the purpose hereinafter explained, there is attached to the wall 49 of chamber 41 as by screws i8, a sheet metal plate 19 having a wall inclined upwardly and away from portion 44 of member 33.

The operation of the lubricating system will now be described. The tank is filled preferably with a semisolid grease above piston 35. When a train passes over the rail, the wheels successively contact and depress treadle i3 which is hence oscillated about one pivoted end Ilia thereof to actuate, through link ISC, the clutch I9.' The clutch I9 causes the shaft 29 to rotate in one direction' only for rotating screw 3i through the worm and worm wheel mechanism 2i to lift the piston and force grease from the tank through conduit i6 and nipple 14 into pipe 5l and chamber 41. The grease 7in said chamber passes through openings 53 into slot 55 and is forced upwardly emerging in ribbons or sheets which lubricates the surface I3a of the head of the rail and the flanges of the'car wheels. The supply of grease is equalized throughout slot 55 by the spaced openings 56. Said openings however may be replaced by a pair or more of elongated slots establishing communication between chamber 41 and slot 55, as shown in Figure 7 of the drawing.

The plate 19 serves to hold surplus grease at the top of the distributor I1. Plates 65 serve to protect the ends of wall 34 and may be made of hardened steel to withstand any contact by the wheel flanges.

t will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the .accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lubricator comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the side of a rail and having a portion formed with an elongated slot located adjacent the head of the rail, said member being formed with recesses adjacent the ends thereof and on opposite sides of said slot, forming substantially horizontal ledges and vertical shoulders, fiat plates within said recesses located on opposite sides of said slot and resting on said horizontal ledges and engaging said vertical shoulders, fastening means extending through registering openings in said plates and a member for attach ing said plates to said member, said plates and member having registering vertical slots, and means for fastening said member to the web of said rail extending through said slots.

2. A lubricator comprising a member adapted to be xed to the side of a rail and having a portion formed with an elongated slot located adjacent the head of the rail, said member being formed with recesses adjacent the ends thereof and on opposite sides of said slot, forming substantially horizontal ledges and vertical shoulders, flat plates within said recesses located on opposite sides of said slot and resting on said horizontal ledges and engaging said vertical shoulders, fastening means extending through registering openings in said plates and a member for attaching said plates tosaid member, said plates and member having registering vertical slots, and means for fastening said member to the web of said rail extending through said slots, said member being formed with elongated chamber substantially parallel to and (zo-extensive with said slot, and having spaced openings on opposite sides of the middle of said chamber and interconnecting said chamber with said slot.

3. A lubricator comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the side of a rail .and having a portion formed with an elongated slot located adjacent the head of the rail, said member being formed with recesses adjacent the ends thereof and on opposite sides of said slot, forming substantially horizontal ledges and vertical shoulders, nat plates within said recesses located on opposite sides of said slot and resting on said horizontal ledges and engaging said vertical shoulders,

fastening means extending through 'registering l openings in said platesI and a member for attaching said plates to said member, said plates and member having registering vertical slots, and means for fastening said member to the web of said rail extending through said slots, said member being formed with an elongated chamber substantially parallel to and co-extensive With said slot, and having spaced openings on opposite sides of the middle of said chamber and interconnecting said chamber with said slot, said member being formed with inclined threaded openings and screws within said openings having heads engag- 5 

